Pneumatic lift jack



' E. I. POWERS ET AL PNEUMATIC LIFT JACK Filed Jan. 25, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Elfdffrs 2g fia/923x Feb. 17, 1925.

E. I. POWERS ET AL PNEUMATIC LIFT JACK Filed Jan. 25, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

2 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIeE.

EUGENE I. POWERS AND HENRY C. HIX, OF PITTSBURG, KANSAS; SAID POWERS AS- SIGNOR TO SAID HIX.

PNEUMATIC LIFT JACK.

Application filed January 25, 1923. Serial No. 614,859.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that EUGENE I. Pownns and HENRY C. H x, citizens of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Crawford and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Lift Jacks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lifting jacks and more particularly to a pneumatic device of this character and the primary object is to provide a jack which is designed to be operated by fluid pressure, such as water, air or other fluid under pressure. A

Afurther object of the invention resides in the provision of a simple device of the above mentioned character which may be connected, if desired with the air pump of an automobile so that when applied to a particular machine it may be effectively used in connection with the motor of that same machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lifting jack of the above mentioned character, which is provided with means whereby a sufficient quantity of air may be taken from one of the tires of the motor vehicles when it is desired to use the jack upon the same and furthermore when an air pump is not at hand.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide a lifting jack ofthe above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong, durable and well adapted for the purpose for which it is designated.

Other objects and advantages of this 1nvention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

liigure 3 is a vertical section therethrough an Figure 4. is a transverse section taken on lines 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals 1 and 2 designate telescoping cylindrical members and operating within the inner cylindrical member 2 is a piston 13, the rod of said piston being designated by the numeral 3. The outer cylinder 1 has a base plate 4 which is provided with an inlet port 5 adjacent one end thereof and is more clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the draw ings and this inlet port 5 communicates with a conduit 6 formed in the base 4 to permit the air or other fluid under pressure to enter the interior of the cylinder 1. The base plate 4 is furthermore provided with an integral projection arranged centrally upon the upper face of the base plate 4 through which the conduit 6 extends and this projection 7 constitutes a proper bumper for the cylinder 2. The cylinder 1 is also provided with an annular top flange 8 and said annular top flange and base plate 4 are held together by means of suitable tie rods 9.

The base of the inner cylinder 2 is integral with the walls thereof and is provided with a pluralit of fluid inlet ports 10. The outer face 0 the base of this cylinder 2 carries a suitable leather gasket 11 and secured to the underface of this gasket 11 is a pad or other coverin of soft material as shown at 11 in the rawings so as to prevent undue shock and jar when the cylinder 2 comes in contact with the bumper or projection 7 on the cylinder 1. The gasket 11 and the padding 11 are of course provided with openings registering with the ports 10, as more clearly shown in Fig. '3 of the drawings whereby the fluid under pressure after entering the interior of the cylinder 1 by forcing the cylinder 2 upwardly will be permitted to v of the said cylinder.

on its inner face with an integral projection or bumper 12 that forms a seat or the hke for the head of the piston. This piston head is removably secured to the lower end.

of the piston rod 3 and is also provided on its underface with a asket 14 similar to the gasket 11 and a pad g or the like 14' to prevent undue jar when the said piston reaches its lowermost position in contact with the seat or bumper 12. The gaskets 11 and 14 furthermore prevent the leakage of air between the interior of the cylinders and the peripheral edge of the pistons when the same are in operation.

The base of the cylinder 2 projects beyond the wall of the said cylinder and snugly engages the inner walls of the cylinder 1. The gasket "11 which is carried on the underfac'e thereof also has its outer edges hearing against the inner walls of the cylinder 1 as more clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The piston head 13 and the gasket 14 of the piston also sn 1y engage the inner faces of the walls of t e cylinder 1 in a similar manner. Hence when the fluid under pressure is introduced to the port 5 and through the conduit 6, the cylinder 2 is adapted to be forced upwardly and whenthis fluid under pressure enters the interior of the cylinder 1 it will find an exit through the port 10 and base of the cylinder 2, thus permitting the fluid under pressure to enter the interior of the cylinder 2. Entering the cylinder 2, the fluid under pressure will come in contact with the piston head 13 of the rod 3 and will cause the latter to be forced upwardly to carry out the purpose for which this invention is designed. z

The cylinder 2 is threaded externally at its upper end and has a-threaded cap 15 engaged thereon and the piston rod 3 extends through the said cap member and has a crescent shaped head 16 provided at.

its upper end for on aging the portion of the device to be raised:

We have provided a means for retaining the elements of the device in a raised position and to this end the cylinder 2 is rovided with vertically arranged teeth 1 at diametrically opposite points thereon. These teeth form racks on the c linder and extend for the greater portion 0 the length Slidably supported on the top flange 8 and more particularly within the supporting blocks 18 which are provided with dove-tail cutout portions intermediate their ends are the dove talled pawls 18'. These dove-tailed pawls 18 are adapted to fit in the dove-tail cutout portions (provided in the blocks 18 and are designe to e the teeth 17 and re port to the interior of the the cylinder 2 in an adjusted position. The pawls 18 are provided with slots 19 through which extend pins 20 engaged with the flange 8. These pins 20 retain the pawls 18 in movable position on the flange 8 and preferably within the supporting blocks 18. v

The outer ends of the pawls 18' are provided with bearings or the like 21 through of staples or the like 25 are, secured to the flange 8 in the line of an arc and the arms of the spring wire member 22 are disposed thereunder. These staples 25 act as aguide for the. arms of the arcuate shaped spring wire member 22 when the same 18 operated in either direction by the'handle 24.-

The pawls 18 are beveled at their inner engaging end and the teeth 17 on the cylinder 2 are dis osed coincident to the bevel of the pawl 1 When it is desired to disengage the pawls from the teeth 17, it is only necessary to force the handle member 24 inwardly and slightly towards the left which action obviously has a tendency to force the arcuate arm of the spring wire member 22 outwardly thus sliding the dove-' tail pawls 18' outwardly from the supporting blocks 18 in opposite direction and disengaging the pawls from the teeth 17, whereby the cylinder 2 may be raised or lowered with respect to the c linder 1, as

are mounted in supporting blocks provided on the capeplate 15 of the cylinder 2, identical in formation to the supporting blocks and pawls 18 for the purpose of engaging the teeth 26 and retaining the piston rod'3 in various adjustedpositions. Awire spring member 28 similar to the member 22 is also provided with and has its arcuate shaped arms engaged with the outer bearings formed in the sliding pawls 27 and the desired. By pushing inward y u on the the blocks 18 and the side faces of of similar construction as those shown at 25 and described above. This member 28 is looped intermediate its ends to form an outstanding handle 30 and by forcing the handle 30 inwardly and slightly to the left or right the pawls 27 are caused to be disengaged or locked in engagement with the teeth 26 in the same manner in which the pawls 13 are held in locked position with relation to the teeth '17 or released therefrom. In this-manner the piston rod 3 may be held in various adjusted positions and permitted to be raised and lowered at will. A section of rubber tubing 31 is secured at its lower end to the inlet port 5 and at its opposite end is detachably connected a short section of piping 32. The upper end of the pipe 32 is provided with a threaded nipple 33 for the purpose of permitting the same to be detachably connected to an air supply pump or the like. The pipe 32 is also provided with an extension 34 which is provided with an enlarged head 35 at its outer end and carried therein is a rubber pad 36 having a central opening in registry with the bore in the extension 34.

A hollowstem 37 is threaded at one end to fit in the threaded end of the extension 34 and this stem projects through the rubber pad 36 and into the cap 35. A rotary release valve 38 is carried in the extension 34 intermediate its ends and is of the usual construction. The cap 35 is adapted to be placed on the valve of one of the tires of the vehicle adjacent the jack when the same is in position for lifting purposes and the hollow stem 37 will be caused to come in engagement with the stem found in the usual'tire valves and upon depression of the valve stem the air from the tire will pass through the hollow stem 37 and when the valve is turned so as to perm-itthe air to pass through the extension 34 into the pipe 32 the air will then pass through the rubber tubing and into the inlet port 5.

From the foregoing descri ion of the construction of our improved uid pressure jack, the operation thereof will be readily understood and it will be seen that we have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the objects of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what movable vertically Within said inner cylinder, ratchet teeth arranged vertically on the outer periphery of said inner cylinder at diametrically opposite points thereon, additional ratchet teeth arranged vertically on,

the piston rod at diametrically opposite points thereon, laterally sliding pawls carried on the outer cylinder adapted for engagement with the teeth of the inner cylinder, additional laterally sliding pawls carried on the inner cylinder adapted for engagement with the teeth of said piston rod, and means for manually controlling the action of said pawls with res ct to the teeth on said inner cylinder and piston rod, as and for the purposes described.

2. A pneumatic jack of the class described, comprising an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder movable vertically with respect to said outer cylinder, means for the admission and control of a fluid pressure to said outer cylinder, a piston including a piston rod movable vertically within said inner cylinder, ratchet teeth arranged vertically on the outer periphery of said inner cylinder at diametrically opposite points thereon, additional ratchet teeth arranged vertically on the piston rod at diametrically opposite points thereon, laterally sliding pawls mounted on said outer cylinder adapted for engagement with the teeth of said inner cylinder, additional pawls similar to the first mentioned pawls mounted on the inner cylinder adapted for engagement with the teeth of said piston rod, means for manually actuating the first mentioned pawls includ ing an arcuate wire spring member guided on the top of the first mentioned cylinder and having sliding engagement with the outer ends of said pawls, said arcuate wire member being looped and extended intermediate of its ends to form a handle member, and a similar actuating means in connection with the additional pawls.

3. A pneumatic jack of the class described, comprising an outer c linder, an inner cylinder movable vertica 1y with respectto said outer cylinder, means for the admission and control of a fluid'pressure to said outer cylinder, apiston including a piston rod movable vertically within said inner cylinder, ratchet teeth arranged vertically on the outer periphery of said inner cylinder at diametrically opposite points thereon, additional ratchet teeth arranged vertically on the piston rod at diametrically opposite points thereon, laterally sliding pawls carried on said outer cylinder adapted for engagement with the teeth of said inner cylinder, the outer ends of said pawls being provided with bearings, additional pawls mounted on the inner cylinder adapted for engagement with the teeth of said piston rod, said additional pawls being also provided with additional bearings at their outer ends, and means for manually oontrolling through the bearinfs of said first mentioned the actuationof the first mentioned pawls pawls and a simi ar actuating means 00- 10 comprising an arcuate wire s ring member \operating with the additional fllpawl's.

looped intermediate of its en and extend- ,7 In testimony whereof I a x my signa- 5 ed to form a, handle portion, guide members ture.

on the top of said outer cylinder through I which the areuateportion of said Wire is EUGENE I. POWERS.

extended, said wire being also directed HENRY C. HIX. 

